1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell generation system and method in which a fuel cell for generating electric power by reacting hydrogen with oxygen is installed within a package.
2. Related Art of the Invention
A conventional fuel cell generation system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-290868 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-75263, for example.
The entire disclosure of these Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-290868 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-75263 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-290868 as Conventional Example 1. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 51 denotes a package whose interior is partitioned into an electric apparatus compartment 53 and a high temperature apparatus compartment 54 with a partition wall 52. A control unit 55 is installed within the electric apparatus compartment 53, while a reformer 58 comprising a combustion fan 56 and a reformer outlet 57 as well as a fuel cell body 61 comprising an air blower 59 and a cell outlet 60 are installed within the high temperature apparatus compartment 54. Reference numeral 62 denotes a ventilating hole provided for the package 51 at the electric apparatus compartment 53, and reference numeral 63 denotes a vent allowing air to flow through the electric apparatus compartment 53 and the high temperature apparatus compartment 54.
In accordance with this configuration of Conventional Example 1, the fuel cell body 61 generates electric power by reacting hydrogen supplied from the reformer 58 with oxygen supplied from the air blower 59, where air for causing a reforming reaction supplied from the combustion fan 56 and the air blower 59 is sucked from the ventilating hole 62 through the electric apparatus compartment 53, the vent 63 and the high temperature apparatus compartment 54, then the control unit 55 is cooled by this circulating air. Exhaust gas obtained after the combustion in the reformer 58 is discharged from the reformer outlet 57 into the outside of the package 51 and exhaust gas obtained after the reaction in the fuel cell body 61 is discharged from the cell outlet 60 into the outside of the package 51.
FIG. 3 shows a configuration from Japanese Paten Laid-Open No. 4-75263 as Conventional Example 2. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 71 denotes a package comprising an upstream package compartment 72 and a downstream package compartment 73 which are coupled to each other through an airflow duct 74. A control unit 75 is installed within the upstream package compartment 72, while a reformer 77 comprising a combustion fan 76 and a fuel cell body 79 comprising an air blower 78 are installed within the downstream package compartment 73. Reference numeral 80 denotes a ventilation fan provided for the upstream package compartment 72 and reference numeral 81 denotes an outlet provided for the downstream package compartment 73.
In accordance with this configuration of Conventional Example 2, the fuel cell body 79 generates electric power by reacting hydrogen supplied from the reformer 77 with oxygen supplied from the air blower 78. Outside air supplied by the ventilation fan 80 flows through the upstream package compartment 72, the airflow duct 74, and the downstream package compartment 73 and is discharged from the outlet 81. The control unit 75 is cooled by such circulating air.
In the above described fuel cell generation system according to Conventional Example 1, in the event that flammable gas such as raw material gases and hydrogen leaks out of the reformer 58 or the fuel cell body 61, the leaked flammable gas is sucked into the reformer 58 by the combustion fan 56 or is sucked into the fuel cell body 61 by the air blower 59 and causes abnormal combustion inside the reformer 58 or inside the fuel cell body 61. In addition, a possibility of an explosion cannot be completely denied if the worst happens.
In the above described fuel cell generation system according to Conventional Example 2, even in the event that flammable gas such as raw material gases and hydrogen leaks out of the reformer 77 or the fuel cell body 79, the leaked flammable gas is discharged from the outlet 81 by the ventilation fan 80 so that its safety is secured. However, the ventilation fan 80 discharges air existing in whole space of the package and requires to have a substantially large capacity in order to cool the control unit 75. Thus the problem associated with this example is that the increased electric power consumption leads to a reduction in efficiency of the fuel cell generation system.